The present invention relates to sprayers, and in particular to portable sprayers for spraying fluids.
Portable sprayers have been used to spray stains, sealants or protective coatings on decks, fences, brick walls, concrete walks, or other wood and masonry objects. Portable sprayers have also been used to spray acids, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, degreasers, disinfectants, water proofing, carpet treatments, cleaners, sealers, curing compounds, form release agents, germicides, herbicides, insect control fluids, or any other fluid one would desire to spray onto an object.
Heretofore, portable sprayers have typically included a tank or container for holding the fluids, a pump in the container for pressurizing the fluids in the container and a spraying gun for spraying the fluids onto a predetermined object. The containers of the portable sprayers usually included a top opening wherein the fluids are added to the containers by pouring fluids from commercial containers into the containers. Water is thereafter usually mixed with the fluids from the commercial containers to dilute the fluids according to the chemical manufacturer""s instructions. The containers have typically been translucent and included graduations marked on an exterior surface of the containers for properly measuring the fluids from the commercial containers as they were poured into the container of the sprayer. However, determining the level of fluid within the sprayers by looking at the level of fluid in the translucent containers can be difficult, especially if the containers are darkly colored. Additionally, knowing the level of fluid within the sprayers can allow users of the sprayers to determine if they have enough fluid within the sprayers to complete their present spraying task or whether more fluid needs to be added to the sprayers, thereby saving time for the user if no more fluid is need. Furthermore, less fluid will be wasted if the user of the sprayer can determine that enough fluid is already in the sprayer.
Accordingly, a practical, inexpensive level indication system solving the aforementioned disadvantages and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.
The sprayer of the present invention includes sprayer container, the sprayer container having at least a portion thereof including thermochromic color-changing properties for indicating and determining the amount of fluid in the sprayer container by a color change line located at a transition line between the fluid and gas within the sprayer container. Therefore, a top area of the sprayer container having an interior surface adjacent the gas is of a first color and a bottom area of the sprayer container having an interior surface adjacent the fluid is of a second color.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.